Adjustable shim



April 22 1941. l L F. URBAIN 2,239,433

ADJUSTABLE SHIN Filed Feb. 10, 1940 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE simu Leim F. Urbain, chicago, 111. ApplicationFebruary 1o, 1940, seran No. 318,314

(ci. 25er-104) 2l Claims.

strips. Shingles are most frequently used for this purpose. When ashingle is so employed it is first pressed or driven, thin edge rst,sufciently far to dispose the required body thickness beneath the partbeing levelled, and then the remaining butt portion is broken off. Thesebutt portions are simply discarded because they are awkward to carryuntil such a time, if ever, when the thinnest edge thereof would beinsertable beneath or between .parts tcbe spread. Consequentlyi lwhenonly the tip of a shingle is used, practically the whole shingle isthrown away. The waste is tremendous. It is estimated that '70 percentof the bulk in every bundle of shingles "carried onto a job to be usedas slLms is lost through waste ofV this nature. Further waste-is oftenincurred, when the work is finished, by

simply abandoning any partially depleted bundles of shingles, for once abundle is broken, considerable time would be necessary in re-packagingthe lot to ensure theirreaching a subsequent job in perfect condition.As a general rule, therefore, the smallest building project requires abundle of shingles earmarked for shims.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a new, compact,easily packaged andv transported shim of inexpensive structure that willobviate the above mentioned waste.

A further object of this invention is the provisio-n of` an improved`shim member of which a plurality are conveniently carried by atradesman as a carpenter in his apron. Shingles, for instance, are longand interfere with essential body movements such as stooping.

A further object of this invention is the provisionof a shim member madefrom a material as sheet metal which indenitely retains its shape andthus remains where it is originally lodged despite temperature andhumidity changes.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a novel shimthat is cooperably adi;-

In the lconstruction of a building, for

justable in interlocking relation with another identically constructedshim.

The above and other desirable objects of the invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following description with reference to thesingle sheet of drawings comprising a part of this specication andwherein:

Fig, 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through avertical building wall on the line l-I lof Fig. 2, and showing in sideelevation a (1o-assembled pair of shims, each of which embodies one formof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical fragmentary sectional View illustrating, in endelevation, two pairs bf said shims in position for vertically aligning afurring strip;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a. pair of my improved shims of the charactershown in Figs. l and 2,

illustrating such shims in interlocked assembly;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view showing one of the shims as those inFigs, 1 to 3 in the inverted position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a pair of modified shims incti-assembled relation;

Fig. 6 is an end elevational View taken on the line 6-5 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating a pair of shims as thoseillustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, but having transverse ribs or oorrugations;and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

While my improved shim has a definite immediate demand in the buildingtrade and is herein illustrated and described with reference to'particular uses in such trade, it should be understood that the devicein its present or modied form is equally capable of utility in manyother elds. For example, when stamped from heavy gauge sheet steel, theshim is useful flor leveling light or medium weight machinerypreparatory to grouting, and when cast of iron or other suincientlystrong material it is useful for leveling heavy machinery or for use inconjunction with, or in lieu of, tie plates beneath railroad rails. Theuses are too numerous to attempt an exhaustive list.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 whichillustrate one embodiment of the invention, this embodiment will be seentol be in the form of a substantially U-shaped member l0. Said member l0may be formed either by stamping or casting. When the member is ofcomparatively light weight, as that illustrated in the drawing, it willusually be stamped from sheet metal, although it may be shaped from anyother material which has sucient strength, such as a phenol condensationcomposition or other plastic materials.

In Figs. 1 -to 3 the shim member i0 is shown in association with asimilarly shaped member Ia. Said shim member II] comprises a pair oflegs II and I2 which extend in parallelism and in the same directionform a base section I3. Each of the legs II and I2 'has a rounded edgesection which sections serve as guide-ways at the entrance to a slit I5between said legs. The leg I I has stamped therein a longitudinal camsection I8 which is concavo-convex in shape, This cam section IBprotrudes the furthest from the obverse face of the shim at its endnearest the base section I3, and gradually diminishes in the amount ofprotrusion as the extended end of the leg II is approached, said sectionIt having Zero protrusion at some such point as I'I.

The opposite leg, I2, of the shim I0, in Fig. 3, is for the most partconcealed below a leg member Illa of the shim Ia, said leg I2constituting a locking section of the shim Iii since it is disposed infricticnal engagement with the under or reverse side of the leg IIa.Inasmuch as the shim Ia is identical with the shim IIJ, all designatedparts thereof are indicated by respectively corresponding referencecharacters with an a added. The frictional engagement between thelocking legs YI2 and I2a and the cam-bearing legs II and I la isVincreased in eciency by knurling or otherwise roughening the faces ofthese members which are contiguously disposed, as indicated at I8 andIa. Thus, in Fig. 3, the obverse faces I8 and Ilia of the legs I2 andIra are roughened as are the reverse faces of the legs Ila and IIrespectively engaged thereby. Such roughening of these faces may also beeffected by applying a coating thereto which is rough in nature, as, forexample, a glavanized coating, or a surface deposit obtained by means ofan electrolytic process.

It will be observed in Fig. 3 that the interlocked shims IQ and I Ilamay be adjusted axially relatively to one another, and that they aremovable relatively endwise incident to being assembled in the relationthere shown. Such assembly is facilitated because of the legs I2 and I2abeing relatively displaced flatwise of the shims whereby the legs I Iand I2 diverge as shown in Fig. 4.

One use of a pair of shims as IIJ and Ia is illustrated in Figs. l and2. In these iigures a furring strip I9 is shown in association with theinner face'of a brick building wall 29 comprising bricks as 2l separatedand held together by mortar 22. In order that the inner face of thewall, consisting of laths 23 and plaster 24, will be truly vertical,pairs of the shims as I!! and Ita are disposed between the furring stripI9 and said wall 2Q. These furring strips I9, which are spacedhorizontally along the wall ZI at intervals for coinciding with theadjacent ends of laths as illustrated in Fig. l, are held in place tothe wall oy means of nails 25. Said nails 25 are driven through thefurring strips I 9 at those points where they will strike and embedthemselves in the mortar between the bricks, Now it will be understoodthat when the comparatively rough brick work is not truly vertical orfree of surface unevenness, the strips I9 may be selectively spacedtherefrom by means oi the shim members as I@ and lila so as to cause thestrips is to lay vertical. When the shims Iii and Ida are extendedaxially,lFigs. l and 3, sections of less protrusion upon the cams I5 andIia will be in registry with the strip wherefore they will permit thestrip to occupy a position quite close to the wall 23. Ii the shims Iiiand Ita are moved axially together, higher points upon the cams I6 andIta will be carried between the wall 23 and the strip IS to displace thestrip further from the wall. Thus the shims il! and lila are adjusted tocause the strip I9 to occupy the desired vertical position.

Said cams Iii and Ita also are adapted to receive the fastening means asthe nails 25 within the opening 2S formed jointly by the slits I5 andIa. Said fastening means 25 therefore serves as a stop to abut againstthe legs as I I and I2 of the shims and prevent their verticaldisplacement. Axial displacement of the shims as Ii! may be prevented bydriving small nails through holes as 27 and 23 respectively at the endsof the shiins.

When the shims are in their extended position in which the cams I andIta displace the strip IS but slightly, the holes 2 and 21a will beseparated the most distantly and will thus be exposed upon oppositesides of a piece as i9, and when the shims are moved toward the oppositeextreme of relative adjustment in which the cams I and Ia are arrangedfor displacing the member as IS the greatest distance, the holes 28 and28a will be accessible upon opposite sides of said member. Hence, thisarrangement of the holes as 2 and 28 insures that at least one of themwill be expdsed, at a side of a member being positioned, in any adjustedposition of the shims.

A slit as I5 may or may not be provided between the legs as II and I2 ofthe shims, but when such a slit is provided it enables the shims to havea holding member as the nail 25 centrally located with respect thereto.In this manner the force of a piece as the upright I9 is applied moreevenly upon the cams I6 and Ita for snugly retaining the frictionsuraces as I8 in engagement with the obverse face of the cambearing legas I Ia in interlocking relation therewith.

While a shim Il is usable alone, it is especially adaptable for usecomplementally with a shim as ma. When the shirns are used inpairs theircams as I6 divide the load impressed thereon by the part being leveled,and in addition these cams, since they are inserted beneath oppositesides of said part, tend to hold said part level. In fact, if the partbeneath which the cams are being inserted is warped or otherwisedistorted so that it will not stand upright when supported upon a levelfooting, one of the shms may be inserted a greater distance than theother so as to cam one side of the part a greater distance than theother and thus tilt said part to correct for its deformity and cause itto set upright, perpendicular or at any selected degree of angularity.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In eachof these gures there is shown a shim 50 having a base section 5I fromone side of which spaced legs 52 and 53 project in the same direction.Each of these legs has upon it a cam section 54, which in the presentinstance is formed by die-pressing the same so as to cause the cams toprotrude outwardly from the shims obverse face. These cam members 54protrude the furthest at their ends nearest the base section 5I anddiminish in the amount of such protuberance as the projecting ends ofthe legs are approached.

The base section 5I of the shim 53 is arched upwardly from its obverseface to form a bridge 55 having shoulders 57 at opposite sides of thebridge. The underside of these shoulders 57 are sufficiently elevated toslidingly receive the edge sections as 58 bordering opposite sides of a'cam member as 54a upon a different and similarly constructed shim M.The bridge 56 is of suicient height to telescopically receive a cammember as 54a of such a similarly constructed shim. Since the shims 50and 50a are identical, the designated parts of the shim 50a areidentified by corresponding reference characters with the letter aadded.

Shims 50 are employable in the same manner as shiins I0, abovedescribed, either singly or in combination with other shims as 56a. Apair of shims 50 and 50ct are Vrelatively adjustable axially for placingcam sections of different thickness beneath opposite edges of a piecebeing shimmed. Inasmuch as the shims shown in Figs. 5 and 6 have twicethe number of cam sections as the shims `in the lower numbered figuresthey are adapted to support twice the load. A pair of the shims as 5Uand 50a, provide four areas of support against a piece being shimmed,two areas of support being at one edge of the piece and likewise twoareas at its opposite edge. Obviously, suchdistribution of the areas atwhich the cams 54 and 54a exert ,force upon the shimmed piece result ina rm support therefor. Furthermore, any irregularity in said piece maybe compensated for by sliding one of the complementary paired shimsfurther beneath the edge with which itis associated, and thus the piecemay be tilted and held in any selected degree of angularity.

In Fig. 6 it will be seen that the shoulders 5l' and 51a t closely overthe leg edge portions as 58a and 58 so as to be pressed into rmfrictional engagement therewith when pressure is applied to the cams 54and 54a.. This frictional interlocking resists accidental displacementof the shims subsequent to their disposal in shimming relation with apiece. Such frictional engagement between the leg edge portions as 58and the shoulders as 51a. may be augmented by driving one or more nailsthrough the holes as 59 into a wall, studding, or flooring or the likeagainst which the reverse faces of the shims are placed. Here, as in therst described embodiment of the invention, the holes as 59 and 60 arearranged at opposite ends of the shims so at least one of these holeswill be exposed adjacent to an edge of the shimmed part and thusaccessible for receiving a nail.

Because of the greater number of camming sections provided by that formof shim shown in Figs. 5 and 6 it constitutes a light-weightcomparatively heavy-duty device. This form of shim is thereforeespecially adapted for insertion beneath sections about the base ofmachinery or the like for leveling the same preparatory to grouting orotherwise permanently securing the machinery in place. When cams as 50are made sufficiently heavy, by malking them of heavy gauge sheet metalor by casting, they may very readily provide the permanent support for amachine or other body of great weight.

The modied form of shim, shown in Figs. 7 and 8, is in all respects likethat in Figs. 1 to 3, excepting that there is additionally provided aseries of transverse surface irregularities in the form of ribs orcorrugations. These corrugations are indicated on the shim lib by thereference numeral 'l5 and on the shim I lc by the reference numeral 16.Shim l-Ib corresponds to the shim I I in Fig. 3, whereas the shim l Iccorresponds to the shim Hal. Consequently the cam sections IBb and Icrespectively correspond to the cam sec- Lil) tions I6 and Ilia, in Fig.3. It becomes obvious upon examining Figs. 7 and 8 that the interttingsurface irregularities 'l5 and 16 offer considerable resistance torelative movement of the shims Hb and llc axially of the cams lBb and|60 when saidcarns are pressed together beneath a load.

While I have shown and described only three forms of shim, it will beunderstood that other forms may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention and so it is intended that the invention shallnot be limited to the present specific illustrative disclosure.

I claim:

1. A shim comprising a plate having a butt end and a bit end andincluding `an elongated section extending between said ends `anddecreasing in thickness as the bit end is approached, and an` adjacentfrictional locking section of substantial uniform thickness projectingedgewise from said elongated section and connected therewith only at abutt end portion thereof.

2. A shim comprising a plate including juxtaposed sections of which oneis a locking section,

and an elongated `tapered body upon the other of said sections, saidshim being disposable in cooperative relation with a similarlyconstructed shim and each of said sections thereof being adapted to htin overlapping relation with the non-corresponding section `of such asimilar shim during such cooperative relation.

3. A shim generally in the form of a plate-like 4body and includingjuxtaposed sections of which one is a locking section, and an elongatedtapered formation upon the other of said sections, `and said sectionsbeing relatively off-set normally of said body to facili-tate sliding ofthe shim into assembly with another similar shim and with said lockingsection of each assembled shim in overlapping relation with theformation bearing section of the other.

4. A shim comprising a plate having butt and bit ends and includingjuxtaposed sections of which one extendsbetween said ends and includesan elongated tapered cam body extending `axially thereof, .the other ofsaid sections constituting a frictional locking section projectinglaterally edgewise from said one section and being connected therewithonly at -a butt end portion thereof, at opposite ends of said plate tofacilitate anchorage thereof to a supporting surface.

5.` A shim comprising a pair lof substantially fiat spaced-apart legs,and an elongated concavoconvex :tapered cam body upon at least one ofsaid legs and decreasing in thickness as the free end of such leg isapproached.

6. A shim comprising a longitudinal cam member and a locking memberdisposed laterally edgewise thereof in a position to lay flatly inoverlapping relation with the cam member of a diiierent shim.

7. A shim comprising a pair of substantially dat spaced-apart legs, andan elongated tapered cam body upon at least one of said legs, said cambody being narrower than the face of the respective leg and projectingoutwardly from such face and decreasing in the amount of such projectionas the free end of such legis approached.

8. A shim comprising a substantially iiat U- shaped member includingupon one of its legs an elongated tapered cam section decreasing inthickness as the free end of such leg is approached, a comparativelyrough friction surf-ace upon the cam-bearing leg at the side 0f Saidmember opposite tothe cam, and a comparatively rough friction surfaceupon the other leg and at the opposite side of said member.

9. A shim comprising a substantially flat U- shaped member includingupon one of its legs an elongated tapered cam section decreasing inthickness as the free end of such leg is approached, and said legsdiverging iiatwise of said member.

l0. A shim comprising a U-shaped plate and wherein one of the legs hasan elongated concavoconvex cam sec tion tapering from the base towardthe free end thereof.

11. A shim comprising a pair of substantially at spaced-apart legs, anelongated concaVo-con- Vex tapered cam body upon at least one of saidlegs and decreasing in thickness as the free end of such leg isapproached, yand means substantially at opposite ends of said shim tofacilitate anchorage thereof to a supporting surface, and said means atthe end of said shim where said legs join being aligned with the spacetherebetween whereby it will be accessible through such space of asimilar shim with which said shim is co-assembled with the legs of eachshim in overlapping relation with the legs of the other.

12. A shim comprising a U-shaped mem-ber of which the legs are `taperedto decrease in thickness from their base ytoward .their free ends, andof which the base is arched transversely `of said legs to adapt it toreceive a leg of a dierent similar member.

13. A shim comprising a U-sh-aped plate, cam members extendinglongitudinally of the legs of said member and decreasing in thickness asthe ends of said legs are approached, 4and the base of said member beingconstructed and arranged for frictionally and telescopically receiving aleg of a different similar member.

14. A shim comprising a pla-te including a base, parallel laterallyspaced legs projecting in the same direction from said base, camsections extending longitudinally of said legs and decreasing inthickness as .the projecting ends thereof are approached, and said baseembodying an arched bridge and shoulder portions at the ends of thebridge of such contour that said shim is disposable in cooperativerelation with a similarly constructed shim with the bridge of each intelescopic relation with a leg of the other and with said shoulders ofeach in overlapping relation with marginal edge portions of thetelescopically received legs.

15. A shim comprising a plate including a base, parallel laterallyspaced legs projecting in the same direction from said ibase,concavo-convex cam sections integral with and extending longitudinallyof said legs while decreasing in thickness as the projecting ends of thelegs are appreached, said base being arched to form a bridge betweensaid legs, and the bridge being of such character that when two of saidshims are coassembled the bridge of each is adapted to receive a leg lofthe other and permit its axial movement therein.

le'. A shim comprising a plate including a base, parallel laterallyspaced legs projecting in the same direction from said base,concavo-convex cam sections integral with each of said legs andprotruding outwardly from one face of the shim but protruding lessdistantly as the projecting ends of said legs are approached, said basebeing arched while also protruding outwardly from said shim face toeiiect a bridge and shoulder sections at the ends of such bridge, saidbridge being suiciently arched that when two of said shims areco-assembled the bridge of each is adapted to receive a leg of the otherand to permit its axial movement therein, and said shoulder sectionsbeing of such elevation as to lie in close overlapping relation with themarginal edge portions of the leg received by their associated bridge.

17. A shim comprising a longitudinal cam member and a locking memberdisposed laterally thereof, and said locking member being of a characterto receive a part of a 4diierent shim for telescopic adjustment therein.

18. The combination of a pair of shims, parallel longitudinal camsrespectively upon said shiins, and means common to said shims to preventtheir relative displacement laterally of said cams While permittingtheir relative displacement axially of said cams.

19. A shim generally in the form of a platelike body and includingjuxtaposed sections of which one is a locking section, and an elongatedtapered formation upon the other of said sections, and said sectionsbeing relatively off-set normally of said body to facilitate sliding ofthe shim into overlapping relation with another similar shim and withthe locking section of each shim upon the formation bearing section ofthe other.

20. A shim comprising a plate including an elongated cam sectiongraduated in thickness from one end toward the other, and an adjacentlocking section disposed laterally edgewise of said elongated section,and said locking section including elongated surface irregularitiesextending substantially transversely of said cam section.

2l. A shim comprising a plate including-juxtaposed sections of which oneis a locking section, an elongated tapered cam body protruding from aface of the other of said sections, and locking means comprisingelongated surface irregularities within each of said sections andextending substantially trans y'ersely of said cam body.

LEON F. UEBAN.

